Pressure-regulator.



Patented My 23, 1901.

- B. E. HAWARD.

PRESSURE REGULATBB. (Lpplicltion filed. Aug. 7, 1899.}

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT HAIVARD, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- I'IALF TOLEWIS F. MCCLURE, OF SAME PLACE.

PRESSURE-REGULATOR.

SPECIFICATION formingpart Of Letters Patent No. 678,872, dated July 23,1901.

Application filed August '7, 1899. Serial No. 726,400. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT E. HAWARD, of Kansas City, in the county ofJackson, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Gas-Pressure Regulators, ofwhich the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

Myinvention relates to certain new and useful improvements ingas-pressure regulators of that class in which there is a mercury orliquid cell or chamber in which is supported a bell or float controllinga valve for regulating the admission of gas from the supplypipe to theliquid-sealed chamber formed by said bell 'or float; and my inventionconsists of certain features of novelty hereinafter described, andpointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 represents a vertical cross-section of a gas-pressure regulatorembodying my invention and improvements. Fig. 2 represents an enlargedhorizontal cross-section of a portion of the lower part of the bell,showing the arrangement of the separated independent air-cells therein.Fig. 3 represents a partial vertical section of a bell provided with acellulous material, such as cork or the like, which in its constituencyis made up largely of air-containing cells. Fig. 4 represents anisometric view of the reversible plug which constitutes an importantfeature in my invention. Fig. 5 represents a top view of the deflector.Fig. 6 represents a top view of the perforated diaphragm located belowthe valve. Fig. 7 represents a detail elevation, somewhat enlarged,ofthe reversible slotted screw-plug, showing a portion of the cap incross-section and showing also the relation of the plug to the valvewhen the slotted screw is inserted in the cap.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

1 represents the body of the regulator, preferably cylindrical in formand having a gaschamber 2, provided with an inverted funnel-shapedbottom 2 forming next the wall of the regulator a drainage-cup to catchand drain off the tar, water, sediment, and other deleterious matterwhich separates from the gas and gathers in the cup, from which bythearrangement of said cone-shaped bottom it is drained off into theservice-pipe 3 and thence falls into the drainage-trap 4:, from which itmay be drawn off by the valve 5, and thus preventing such deleteriousmatterfrom passing to the valve-seat 17 and interfering with the freeaction of the valve. Within the regulator is provided an interior wall6, forming with the outer wall or body of the regulator a cylindricalcup 7, containing a liquid, preferably mercury. Said interior wallextends inwardly and upwardly and terminates in the reverse flange 8,forming the channel 9, arranged to prevent the spilling and escape ofthe liquid from the cup 7 in case of accidental tilting of the regulatorto one side.

10 represents the bell or float, provided near its bottom with a seriesof separated independent air-cells 11. Said air-cells may be provided,as shown inFig. 2, by a ring or collar inserted within the bell andprovided with a series of flanges 12, bearing against the face of thebell, and thus forming the cells 11, or, as shown in Fig. 3, byinserting Within the" mouth of the bell a ring 13 of cork or other likecellulous material the cellular structure of which provides a series ofair-containing cells performing the same function and in the same manneras the air-cell structure shown in Fig. 2. Said bell is arranged in theliquid-sealing cup 7, the flange 14 of the bell projecting below theair-cells dipping into the liquid and the air-cells themselves restingupon and partly immersed in the liquid. The object and advantage informing said air-chamber in a series of independent cells is this: In anumber of regulators heretofore presented to the public an air-chamberis provided formed as a continuous passage or chamber extendinguninterruptedly entirely around the bell, in which form it has beenobserved that when from additional weight or other cause one side of thebell is borne down, the flow of the air in said chamber beinguninterrupted, it will pass around to the opposite and upper side andthat side will be borne up and that portion of the air-chamber and bellbe lifted entirely out of the sealing liquid, and thus permit flowing orescaping of the gas, while the bell, becoming for the time useless forthe performance of its intended function, the valve regulating the flowof gas into the regulator will be thrown wide open, permitting the gasto enter under full pressure from the supply-pipe, and thus increasingthe escape under the open edge of the bell, and, further, having theair-chamber thus divided into a series of independent cells tends tokeep the bell in a perfectly level position, so that contact with theWalls of the seal-chamber cannot take place and friction caused thereby,tending to interfere with the free rise and fall of the bell, will beprevented. Said cells may be open at the bottom or the top or may beclosed at both the bottom and the top, the effect in the buoyancy of thebell being the same whichever form may be used. To prevent tilting ofthe bell, however, the action is more effective when the cells are openon the bottom or under side, as shown, for which reason this form ispreferred.

represents a valve for regulating the admission of gas from thesupplypipe (not shown) into the liquid-sealed chamber formed by thebell. The valve-seat is formed by the tube 17, fixed in the bottom 2 andhaving thin walls or terminating in a thin edge, so that a thin edge ispresented for the valve to seat itself against, thus preventing theaccumulating of tar and waxy and sticky substances from the gas, whichtend to interfere withthe free action of the valve. The valve is carriedon the eyebolt 18, on which is provided a nut 19 on the under side ofthe valve for setting and adjusting the same.

20 represents an eyebolt passing through the bell, the bell beingsecured between the nut 21 below and the flanged nut 22 above the same,and thus leakage around the bolt is securely prevented.

23 represents a rod connecting the eyebolt 20 with the eyebolt 1S andforming a flexible connection between the bell and the valve supportedtherefrom.

24 represents a coiled spring'surrounding said rod and bearing againstsaid eyebolts to maintain stability of the valve, while not in terferingwith the flexibility of the connection.

Above the bell is arranged a diaphragm 25 of such flexibility as topermit the free vertical action of the bell and valve, but of sufficientstability to prevent lateral action and retain the valve in its propervertical relation to its seat. Above and below said diaphragm andbetween the flanged nuts 22 and 26 are arranged the corrugatedtension-plates 27 and 28, adapted to be pressed together between saidnuts to take up any slack that may arise or occur in the diaphragm, saiddiaphragm secured at its periphery upon the wall of the regulator, beingcompressed thereon by the lap of the head 29 of the regulator, which isfastened down upon the wall by the screws 30 passing through the same.Said diaphragm is so secured at its periphery and at its center aroundthe eyebolt as to form an air-tight chamber-below the same.

31 represents weights which, if desired or found necessary, may beplaced upon the nut 26 above the diaphragm to regulate the pressure thatwill cause the rise and fall of the bell.

On the head 29 of the regulator is threaded the cap 32, having a centralthread ed opening in which is inserted the reversible screw-plug 33,hereinafter more particularly noted.

Pins or stops 34 are arranged in the wall of the regulator a suitabledistance above the bell to prevent accidental tilting thereof out of thesealing liquid.

Immediately below the valve is provided a diaphragm 35, having theperforations 36 secured at its periphery upon the lug 37 by the ring .38and screws 39 passing through the same, and at its center connected withthe valve by compression between the nuts 19 and 40 on the eyebolt 18.Said diaphragm, like the diaphragm 25, is of such flexibility as topermit the vertical action of the valve, while sufficiently stable toprevent lateral action, its function being to retain the valve in theline of its seat.

Upon the body of the regulator is threaded a cap ll having aninlet-opening42, provided with a threaded external collar 43 for theattachment of the regulator to the supply-pipe. Immediately within saidinlet-opening is arranged a deflector 44:, provided toward its peripherywith the perforations 44:, its central portion being withoutperforations, by which.

arrangement of the perforations the inflow of gas under pressure fromthe supply-pipe is deflected laterally and enters the valve-chamber atthe side of and away from the valve and is thus prevented from actingupon and interfering with the free action of the valve.

The operation is similar to that in all this class of regulators. Thegas entering from the supply-pipe through the inlet-opening passes thevalve and enters through the port into the gas-chamber formed under thebell,

and this chamber being sealed by the immersion of the edge of the bellin the sealing liquid no gas can escape therefrom, and it passes outthrough the service-pipe to the point where it is to be used. The Weighton the bell is regulated by the weights 31 to give such pressure uponthe gas in the gas-chamher under it as will yield in the service-pipesuch a supply of gas as may be required and will be properly consumed inthe service and no more. When greater pressure than this is giventhrough the supply-pipe, such pressure acting upon the bell will liftthe valve toward its seat, thus shutting ofi the supply admitted to thegas-chamber and the pressure on the bell, so that the supply of gasadmitted to the gas-chamber and the consequent supply to the service areregulated and controlled by the rise and fall of the bell, and by properadjustment of the weights upon TIO the bell this pressuretothe servicemay be regulated to a very great nicety, and the upper diaphragm beingso secured as to form an air-tight chamber no gas can escape therefromif by accident any escape from the gaschamber below the bell, nor canany dust or other foreign matter enter the chamber from without or themercury escape if the regulator be accidentally upset. Vhen for anyreason it is desired to cut out the regulator and give the full pressureof the supply-pipe to the service-pipe, the screw-plug 33, which isformed with a head 45, a solid screwthreaded portion 46, and a slottedscrewthreaded portion 47, the slot 48 therein extending partly throughthe head, has the solid screw thereof inserted in the cap, said screwbeing of such length as to bear upon the end of the valve-stem anddepress and hold open the valve. When the apparatus is in use as aregulator, said plug is reversed and the slotted screw inserted in thecap, which, being shorter, does not reach the Valve-stem, while the slotin the screw and head gives an indirect channel for the in and out flowof the air to the chamber above the diaphragm, thus providing for thefree action of the diaphragm and of the bell. Such air-passage formingan indirect communication between the inside and outside of said chamberis of great advantage in preventing the entrance of dust, bugs, and thelike into said chamber to lodge upon the diaphragm and interfere withits proper action.

49 represents a weight which may be in the form of a ring lying upon thediaphragm to automatically regulate the tension thereof until it maybecome necessary to take up the slack therein by compression between thetension-plates 27 and 28.

I claim 1. In a gas-pressure regulator, having a liquid-sealedgas-chamber the combination with the bell forming said chamber of a portfor admitting the gas into said chamber, a sleeve surrounding said portproviding a thin-edged valve-seat, a valve for closing and regulatingthe flow of gas through said port, and a spring-controlled flexibleValve-stem connecting said valve with the bell substantially as setforth.

2. In a gas-pressu re regulator having a liquid-sealed gas-chamber, thecombination with the bell forming said chamber of a valve for regulatingthe flow of gas into said chamber, a flexible valve-stem connecting saidvalve with said bell, and a spring arranged between the valve and thebell, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a gas-pressure regulator having an internal liquid-containin gseal-cup and an inlet-port, the combination with a bell or floatarranged in said cup, and a valve connected with the bell for regulatingthe flow of gas through said port, of an imperforate diaphragm arrangedabove the bell, embracing the valve-stem and secured at its peripheryupon the body of the regulator, substantially as set forth.

at. In a gas-pressure regulator having an internal liquid-containingseal-cup, and an inlet-port, the combination with a bell or floatarranged in said cup, and a valve connected with the bell for regulatingthe flow of gas through said port, of a diaphragm arranged above thebell embracing the valve-stem and secured at its periphery upon the bodyof the regulator, opposing corrugated tension-plates embracing saiddiaphragm, and oppositelydisposed flanged nuts on the valve-stem bearingupon said plates for compressing the same to regulate the tension of thediaphragm; substantially as set forth.

5. In a gas-pressure regulator having an internal liquid-containingseal-cup, an inlet port, the combination with a bell or float arrangedin said cup, and a valve connected with said bell for regulating theflow of gas through said port, of a diaphragm arranged above said bellembracing the valve-stem, and secured at its periphery upon the body ofthe regulator, a weight arranged upon the diaphragm to automaticallyregulate the tension thereof, opposing corrugated tension-platesembracing said diaphragm, and oppositelydisposed flanged nuts on thevalve-stem bearing upon said plates for compressing the same to take upany slack in the diaphragm and regulate the tension thereof;substantially as set forth.

6. In a gas-pressure regulator having an internalliquid-containingseal-chamber, and an inlet-port, the combination with abell or float arranged in said cup, and a valve connected with said bellfor regulating the flow of gas through said port; of an imperforatediaphragm arranged above said bell embracing the val ve-stem and securedat its periphery upon the body of the regulator, a cap secured upon thehead of the regulator, having a central opening, and a reversibleslotted screwplug in said opening providing an air-passage into thechamber above said diaphragm to permit the free action thereofsubstantially as set forth.

7. In a gas-pressu re regulator a cap secured upon the head of theregulator and having a central opening, and a reversible slottedscrew-plug in said opening, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

8. In a gas-pressure regulator having a bell or float, and a diaphragmsecured to the body of the regulator above the bell, a cap secured uponthe head of the regulator having a central opening, and a reversibleslotted screwplug in said opening providing an air-passage into thechamber above the diaphragm.

9. In a gas-pressure regulator a reversible screw-plug consisting of thehead 45, the solid screw-threaded portion 46 on one side of said head,and a slotted screw-threaded portion on the other side, said slotextending into said head substantially as set forth.

10. In a gas-pressure regulator having 1iq ind-containing seal-chamber,and a port for of gas through said port; of aperforated dia- 10admitting gas into the regulator, the c0mbiphragin below said valveembracing the valvenation with a bell or float arranged in said stem andsecured at its periphery upon the seal-chamber, an imperforate diaphragmarbody of the regulator; substantially as set 5 ranged above said bell,embracing the valveforth.

stem and secured-at its periphery upon the ROBERT E. HAVVARD. body ofthe regulator, and a valve having a Witnesses:

flexible springcontrolled valvestem con- THOS. H. RIDDLE,

nected with said bell for regulating the flow W. H. HEWS.

